In terms of gaming gadgets the Nintendo 3DS is definitely going to be a popular technological toy this year. A major price drop means that it is far more affordable than it was at launch and there are more games to actually purchase for the console than ever before.

Super Mario 3D Land

One of the must-have games launching ahead of Christmas is Super Mario 3D Land, a mishmash of the series’ 2D platforming roots with its more recent forays into 3D and it has already won critical acclaim, so should make the perfect accompaniment for the 3DS handheld.

Kidizoom Twist from Vtech

For younger children who want to start taking digital photos the Kidizoom Twist from Vtech is touted as one of the top toys of the year. Its robust, chunky design is intended to take plenty of punishment and it gets its name from the twistable lens that lets kids flip it around and take pictures of themselves.

A two megapixel sensor, colour viewfinder and built in flash mean that it is capable of taking some decent photos and can even record videos, whilst there are added extras such as integrated games for tots to play.

LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer

From photography to tablets, we now turn to the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer, a slate computer designed for little tykes who want to play on the parents’ iPad 2. It runs on rechargeable AA batteries, has a five-inch touch screen display and even has apps, which you can download from a catalogue of over 500.

Kids aged between four and nine years old will love the LeapPad Explorer this Christmas and it is considerably cheaper than any of Apple’s tablets, so will be a worthwhile investment.

SpyNet gadgets

For kids who love all things relating to espionage the range of SpyNet gadgets will be a real treat during the festive period. The SpyNet glasses, for example, will let the wearer record secret footage thanks to a hidden camera and they’ll look very cool whilst doing so.

Hotwheels Video Racer

More camera-based goodies come in the form of the Hotwheels Video Racer range, which has a built in lens to help kids capture the action when they take their vehicles out for a test drive in the garden.

These little cars can be hooked up to your laptop or PC via a USB connection and it gives a toy’s-eye view of the world. Kids are also encouraged to attach the little vehicles to their bikes or skateboards to record even more footage, letting them get creative with the projects that they want to develop.

John East is a contributor to moneysupermarket.com who specialises in technology. This year he will be getting the Laugh and Learn Activity Case for his iPhone in order to keep dirt and drool away from his precious mobile when the kids want to play with it.

Processor

This one’s actually a no brainer. With technology evolving faster than you can say “gaming laptop”, you always have the choice of the latest processors. If you can afford the most powerful ones, then the better off you will be. However, many games do not require the latest processors so you may be able to save some money by not going for those. Just make sure that your favorite games can run on the processor that you choose.

Screen Size

This is one instance where size does matter. While you may not want to lug around a laptop as huge as your suitcase, neither would you want to squint at a 10-inch screen when playing. Netbooks won’t be able to handle many good video games anyway. So yes, you need to go for the big bad boys if you want a decent gaming experience. At the very least, look at 15-inch laptops. If you can, a 17-inch or bigger screen will be even better.

Graphics Card

Have you experienced playing an awesome game, only to get constantly irritated due to the game freezing? Chances are that the graphics card of the computer you were using was not up to the task. More important than the largest screen you can find, you ought to pick the best graphics card that you can afford. The better the graphics card, the better the gaming experience. Make sure that you go for a laptop that has a dedicated graphics card and not one that is integrated into the motherboard!

RAM

As with the first two considerations, with RAM, size does matter. The more RAM you have, the faster your gaming laptop will run. Consequently, the better your gaming experience will be. Furthermore, some games will not even run if you do not have enough RAM, so pack on that memory! If you need to know the minimum, do not go below 4 gigabytes.

Hard Drive

You might not have thought about it, but the hard drive does play a part in gaming. While it may not play a critical role as the graphics card and RAM do, a fast hard drive does enhance the gaming experience. Go for a laptop that has a Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive as opposed to a Parallel ATA (PATA).

Can’t get enough of anything shiny and related to tech; will also pay attention to non-shiny things as long as they have something to do with computers and gadgets. If you want to be as prolific as Gregory, promote your blog on sites such as Blogsearchengine.com and enjoy the results!

PlayStation 3

Today, the most popular forms of entertainment lie on different electronic gadgets. Some of them are in the form of mobile phones, computers, iPods and video game systems. Ever since video game systems have been introduced, non-stop innovation continuously invaded the world of gaming. Actually, they even invented portable gaming machines like PSP and Nintendo 3DS.

Another thing is that they are quite very expensive. In the past, desktop computers and laptops are still more expensive than these gaming machines. However, because of the fast pace innovation in the gaming industry, gaming consoles also became really expensive. Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii are only some of the expensive but really amazing game consoles ever created.

Since they are very expensive, you need to be careful in buying them. Here are some of the things that you can consider if you are going to buy these game consoles.

First is budget. Before you even try to buy one, you need to know if you have the money to purchase them. Usually, the new gaming consoles today are much more expensive. Handheld devices or portable gaming consoles can be a bit cheaper but it is still expensive. Try to look for prices of gaming consoles on different shops or you can also surf the web for their prices.

Second is the place where to buy the gaming consoles. Traditionally, people will buy them on physical stores. However, today, people are more comfortable on buying on the web. The only thing is that there are higher risks in purchasing the web. Since you do not see the actual product, you do not really know what will come to you unless the product itself is delivered. It means that you need to carefully select the website where you will buy one to avoid scam.

Third is to know the type of gaming console that you really want. Above anything else, buying the gaming console that you want is still the top priority. Do not simply go off and buy something that can be bought by the money that you have. If you really want to buy a specific gaming console, take time to save money. Since it is expensive, it is not a good idea to invest money on something that you lack interest off. When that happens, the gaming console will only be stock since you really have no interest of using it.

In my opinion, Nintemdo has been hands down the best games manufacturer in recent years. My favourites have to be the Snes, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo 3ds.

The was article was provided by one of our guest reviewers.

It is the Panasonic Viera TX-P42VT20B 42-inch Widescreen Full HD 1080P 3D Plasma TV with Freeview HD and Freesat HD

Yes, it comes with built in Freeview HD (through an aeriel) and Freesat HD (through your dish) and it is 3D ready too. I have a Humax freesat box, and they are really great. Unless you are mad about sport and watching endless repeats, I see little point in splashing out on the premium satellite television services.

Not only that, Panasonic Viera’s are fantastic screens, and this is currently (March 2011) retailing in Amazon for £1,110.00. Considering my old Hitachi 1080p was £1800 when I got it, and my Humax box about £130, this is a great price for an excellent screen with years of life in it.

You only get 2 pairs of 3D glasses included, so if you have a large family you will need to get some extra pairs of 3D glasses for those new Disney films!

VIERA CAST – Chat with people all over the world, just like in Star Trek!

One other funky feature on this tele is the built in Skype. You can have video conference calls with other friends and family that have Skype access without having to turn on your PC, or get up off the sofa!

If you have never used Skype, give it a go. Call quality is clearer than most land and mobile lines in the UK. I routinely chat to friends in Switzerland over Skype, and my wife calls Brazil several times a week, so that he parents can chat with their new grandchildren.

VIERA CAST you can enjoy online videos, photos, and more. You can also check sports, news, weather and stock information with an easy-to-use Web interface that’s built into the TV. What’s more, VIERA CAST’s assorted online content has new additions, including the remarkably popular SkypeTM and Twitter® applications. VIERA CAST not only offers unique web entertainment but also expands your forms of communication. No extra equipment required.

All this screen is really lacking is a record option. The good HD set top boxes also allow you to record direct to hard drive, which is a massive bonus and a lot more convenient than recording to tape or DVD. But if you can do without an internal recorder, then this TV is for you!

Available from Amazon: Panasonic Viera TX-P42VT20B

The Levv glass stand is suitable for any plasma or LCD TV with a maximum weight of 40kg or a screen width of 32 inches. The base which holds the TV is made from toughened safety glass, giving you the peace of mind to watch your favourite movies or programmes in complete safety. There are also two other shelves for DVD/VCR/Blu-ray,boxes, whatever you want. The legs are rounded with a black brushed gloss finish. The overall unit weighs 21kg without the TV, so it should be fairly easy to carry and set up.

If you own an Xbox you really need one of these cables to show off the excellent graphics on your HD TV.

Showcase stunning Xbox 360 high-definition graphics with the component connection on your HDTV.  Play high-quality audio with the included Stereo connection or utilize the Optical Audio port for digital sound. The 8′ shielded cable also includes the more traditional Composite connections for use with standard definition TVs.

For the price this is a strong performer, and probably one of the best 32 inch widescreens on the market. Excellent clear pictures with good contrast ratio of vibrant colors.

Features the VIERA Link which allows interconnected operation of various AV devices using only the VIERA remote control, by simply connecting the devices to each other by an HDMI cable. VIERA Link performance has been further enhanced with LUMIX digital camera connection. By connecting a new LUMIX camera that has an HDMI output terminal to VIERA, you can use the VIERA remote to control the playback of images stored on the camera.

The most exciting feature of the Toshiba Regza is the “Meta Brain” technology that is unique to these models. MetaBrain is Toshibas uniquely developed processing chip that acts as the brain of TV. MetaBrain drives certain features on the TV such as Resolution+ AutoView as standard features as well as variations of Active Vision Picture Processing and on selected models Dolby Volume.

A Green Eco TV

Eco Panel – Toshiba REGZA LCD TVs which feature EcoPanel are specially designed to consume significantly less power than a conventional LCD TV without comprising on picture quality.

The 40 inch screen is clear and the Sony brand means workmanship of the highest quality. And excellent choice.

A BRAVIA LCD TV is no ordinary television. Design is sleeker, pictures are brighter, details clearer. All BRAVIA televisions are HD Ready as a minimum, with up to 4 HDMI connections, and come with an integrated digital tuner so there is no need for a set-top box to view Freeview TV and radio channels.

Toshiba Regza 32AV615DB 32-inch Widescreen HD Ready LCD TV with Freeview